The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the game of basketball played in an organized manner utilizing one or more officials to referee the game. The National Basketball Association (NBA) Rule E relating to Charging-Blocking, paragraph 3 states: "If a defensive player acquires a position directly under the basket/backboard on anything but a `baseline drive,` he shall be responsible if contact occurs." A referee therefore needs to be able to determine accurately whether or not a defensive player is directly under the basket.
The current rule as to Charging-Blocking requires too much of a referee to make a judgement to determine the location of the players when a play is made. A referee must now look up to the goal hoop and project the diameter of the goal hoop down to the floor to determine whether or not a player is under the goal hoop. A referee caught out of position when a play is made must make a call without proper visual position of the player with respect to the goal hoop.
It is an object of this invention to assist a basketball referee make correct calls by providing reference marking on the floor.
It is an object of this invention to enable a referee to make a call without talking his eyes off the players to look at the goal hoop for position.
It is an object of this invention to make the referee calls more accurate by providing reference marking on the floor.
It is an object of this invention to speed up the game by reducing questions by coaches as to actual location of players involved in Charging-Blocking fouls.